Conviviality was a big feature of the 2018 SBCS Convention in Worcester, Mass.Billed as a Boston / Brimfield / Building Bash, the Convention delivered on all accounts.The fields of Brimfield, the local (or nearly local) antique malls and shops, the Convention Swap Meet, Raffle, and Auction all contributed to the friendly competition among attendees.Here’s a look at SBCS Boston 2018.

Our facebook page has been quite active in recent weeks covering all sorts of souvenir building topics and all sorts of souvenir buildings – with lots of pictures.

Collectors are riffing on plastic, ceramic, and wood buildings, Apple Park, Ukranian Churches, James Dean, Fallingwater.New members are posting pictures of their collections.Joe K. has a discussion question up for Boston attendees about the use of the Antiques and Collectibles guide that was available. Check it out here: Souvenir Building Collectors

KNEISEL COLLECTION

The next Journal of The Souvenir Building Collectors Society will contain an article and an offer from the Kneisel Committee.The offer of 5 Kneisel Collection buildings for a mailing and packing fee of $25 will be open to all who are current (paid-up) SBCS members as of September 30, 2018.Specific details will appear here on the SBCS website soon and in the SBCS Journal.“Watch this space” and be sure your membership is up-to-date.

Back in 2002, the Souvenir Building Collector, Journal of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society, published a part travelogue, part historical, and part descriptive article by Bill Trainer on The French Worsted Company, Woonsocket, RI. A miniature replica of this company’s buildings and campus is sought after by souvenir building collectors. In just a few days one of these replicas, from the Bob Kneisel collection, will be auctioned off at the SBCS 2018 Convention in Worcester, MA.

Monuments, Mountains, Banks, Carillon………. Bring an empty bag to the 2018 SBCS Boston Convention! Take a look at these additional pieces from the Kneisel Collection that will be available for purchase through the Swap Meet and the Auction on Saturday, July 14. Don’t miss out! Click here for Registration Information!

The Old State House, Boston, MA. Oldest (1713) Public Building extant in Boston. Cast Iron and Wood, Doorstop, 14 1/2” high.

Start planning TODAY! The 2018 SBCS Convention has something for everyone! The convention hotel, Worcester HILTON GARDEN INN, is situated between the treasure-filled meadows of Brimfield and the historic buildings of Boston. Worcester is the where the SMILEY FACE was born, a sign of the good times that await SBCS conventioneers.
The Convention is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 13 – 15. Visit the 2018 Convention Tab/Page for the hotel details and make your reservation early. The Convention Schedule and Registration details will soon be available.

Bill H. and Michael E. brought the tale and the evidence of the IRISH HILLS TOWERS saga. Apparently in the 1920s a farmer, who owned part of a hill that the Michigan Observation Company (MOC) sought to purchase for a tourist-based observation tower, refused to sell his portion. Whereupon, the enterprising company purchased the adjoining piece of land and built the IRISH HILLS OBSERVATORY and opened it to the public in September of 1924, to great success. By November of the same year (just 2 months later), the envious nay-sayer had built his own tower adjacent to the first and made it a bit higher to attract the tourists to his site. Reacting to challenge the Michigan Observation Company added a second observation platform atop the first and called their tower the ORIGINAL IRISH HILLS TOWER. The farmer then evened the height of his tower with the “Original” and named his tower the “Gray” tower. MOC then countered with the threat of tearing down their tower and erecting a metal edifice so large that the challenge would be over. From then until the 1950s the towers were competing attractions. In the 1950s they were operated as one attraction with a gift shop between. As of today, they are on the US National Register of Historic Places. Bill’s and Michael’s Salt and Pepper Shakers depict the Original Irish Hills Tower and the Gray Tower.

From the KLM and Goedewaagen collection of Simon H. comes a pair of rare Goedewaagen porcelain buildings. The building on the left is the Sofitel Legend Grand Amsterdam Hotel, the site and building has a long and storied history, prior to it’s re-incarnation as a hotel. The building on the left is the City of Hall of Dordrecht.

Steve B. and Terry M. went building hunting with Joe K. at the start of the weekend in Chicago. To the delight of all, the finds were special and the swapping even better. Terry found the very nice St. Peter’s Basilica in the same mall that Joe found the University Hall and a mutually-agreed-upon swap was executed.

McPherson Opera House souvenir building and as pictured in a iPhone photograph.

Steve also shared his acquisition of the McPherson Opera House and the photo he had taken of the actual building.

There are lots of convention photos to be seen in the Members Only portion of the website. Head on over to MEMBERS ONLY / CONVENTION PHOTOS and click one of more of the links under 2017.

The MUSEUM OF ARCHITECTURE at TDCP Changa Manga Resort, Punjab, Pakistan is the first recipient of souvenir buildings from the Kneisel Collection.

A portion of the Cultural Foundation of Pakistan powerpoint presentation.

In June of 2016, Robert Kneisel willed his collection of some 4000 plus souvenir buildings and statues to the Souvenir Building Collectors Society. The SBCS formed a Kneisel Collection Team spearheaded by Chris S. to address the disposition of such a magnificent gift. The team quickly determined that the bulk of the quality buildings could form the basis of a permanent display of souvenir buildings in one or more museums. Planning toward this end began in August of 2016.

Serendipitously, in March of 2017, the Society was approached, through the SBCSociety website, by Muhammad Raza Kahn, President of the Cultural Foundation of Pakistan. He told of the establishment of a Museum of Architecture and requested, from the Souvenir Building Collectors Society, the donation of architectural models of world landmarks for a display to be entitled “EXPLORE CULTURE THROUGH ARCHITECTURE.

Joe K. and Chris S. took the lead in contacting and working with Mr. Kahn, who provided the Kneisel Collection Team with a powerpoint presentation detailing the plans for the Museum of Architecture and how it our small buildings would become part of the larger exhibit. Click below to view the presentation (remember to hit the arrow to make it run):

The team confirmed the suitablility of the request and selected an array of iconic world miniature buildings as the donation. The selected items made their way from Los Angeles, through Canada, and on to Pakistan, where they arrived in September 2017. They will be displayed at the ModelTown Museum in Lahore, Pakistan.

Souvenir Buildings on their way!

Empire State Building

Hamburg Rathaus

Houses of Parliament

Knoxville Sun Tower

Kolner Dom

Mosque

Pagoda

Parthenon

Leaning Tower of Pisa

Russian Orthodox Church

Sears Willis Tower

Seattle Space Needle

St. Peters Basilica

Statue of Liberty

Trylon and Perisphere, NYC 1939

Unisphere NYC 1964

United States Capitol

Washington Monument

Chrysler Building

Eiffel Tower

While this story is about the donation to the Museum of Architecture in Pakistan, it is also a reminder that SBCS is looking for other museums or appropriate institutions (library, university or college, city hall) who are interested in permanently acquiring souvenir buildings for display. If you have a suggestion or two – Send the Kneisel Collection Committee an email.

One of the Dog Sculpture guarding the entrance to the Homewood Suites, Downtown – the SBCS Convention hotel.

Lincoln, Wrigley Building

Carolyn’s haul is photographed in front of the iconic parking garage.

Alaska State Bank, Museum of Science and Industry, Grand Coulee Dam

Hollywood Bowl and Big Ben from Raffle 2017.

Kudos to Mark and Michael for a well-executed Convention with lots of options, camaraderie, and plenty of opportunities for acquisition of small buildings. As plans for the next conventions crystallize they will be conveyed via The Journal of the Souvenir Building Collectors Society and this website.